Walder has become famous for siring many children and surviving many wives. He is to marry his eighth wife and has over a hundred descendants, base and trueborn. Walder has had twenty-two trueborn sons and seven trueborn daughters from his marriages, with an unknown number of bastard sons and daughters. He places a great emphasis on family loyalty, though his descendants jockey ruthlessly for his favor. Many Freys name their sons Walder and daughters Walda hoping that the lord will favor them.[5]

Appearance and Character

As a young child, Walder was chinless and snot-nosed, with a high shrill hiccup of a laugh.[6]

By the age of ninety, Walder has turned bald, and his head has spotted with age.[5][7] He looks a little like a vulture, but mostly like a weasel.[7] Many of his descendants have inherited his weasel-like look.[5][8] Walder's shoulders are scrawny and his long neck pink. He has a receding chin, under which loose skin dangles. He has runny and clouded eyes, and a toothless mouth, which constantly moves.[7] Walder is troubled with gout, and can no longer stand without assistance.[5]

Walder has always been irascible, sharp of tongue, and blunt of manner, and this has only increased with age.[5] He is a cautious man,[9] but also an ambitious one, and is known to only give aid to a winning cause.[10] He is peevish,[7][11] ill-tempered, envious, and prideful,[11] with a long memory,[12] and can brood long about every slight he has ever suffered.[13] Walder has a prickly manner, and can take insult in the smallest things.[14] He is considered untrustworthy by his liege lord, Hoster Tully.[15][5]

History

As a toddler Walder was present at the marriage of his elder sister to Lord Ambrose Butterwell at Whitewalls.[N 1] It is said he caused the marriage when he discovered his sister having intimate relations with a servant. Ser Duncan the Tall thought that Walder was an extremely annoying child, and was sorely tempted to throw him down a well.[6]

Because the use of the Twins becomes a strategic necessity for the host of Catelyn's son, Robb Stark, Walder negotiates marriage contracts with Catelyn. Robb is to marry one of Walder's daughters once there is peace and his sister, Arya, is betrothed to Walder's youngest son, Elmar. In addition, two of Lord Frey's grandsons, Little Walder and Big Walder, are sent to Winterfell as wards and one of his sons, Olyvar, is made squire to Robb.[5]

A Storm of Swords

Word eventually reaches the Twins of Robb Stark's marriage to Jeyne Westerling instead of a Frey as promised. Ser Ryman Frey, Lord Walder's new heir, withdraws House Frey's support from the king in outrage.[19]

Walder sends his son Lame Lothar to Riverrun to negotiate a rapprochement. Robb and many of his key bannermen return to the Twins under guest right to make amends and marry Lord Edmure Tully to Walder's daughter, Roslin. During the wedding feast, however, Frey and Bolton men ambush Robb and his entire host, slaughtering King Robb, Catelyn Stark, many of their bannermen, and a significant portion of the northern army.[14]

According to one of his sons, Merrett, Lord Walder is not long for the world and when he dies it will be every other Frey for himself. Walder, though a tyrant, believes in taking care of his own, even the ones who disappoint him. When Stevron was heir it was different, as he was raised by Walder to believe that blood was blood, but his sons and grandsons, now the new heirs, do not feel the same way. Merrett and Petyr Frey are hanged by outlaws, the brotherhood without banners, at Oldstones.[22]

Quotes by Walder

Now my bastards presume to teach me courtesy. I'll speak any way I like, damn you. I've had three kings to guest in my life, and queens as well, do you think I require lessons from the likes of you, Ryger? Your mother was milking goats the first time I gave her my seed.[5]

Catelyn: Where I might have expected to find you, my lord. You are still my father's bannerman, are you not?

Walder: Heh, I called my swords, yes I did, here they are, you saw them on the walls. It was my intent to march as soon as all my strength was assembled. Well, to send my sons. I am well past marching myself, Lady Catelyn. Tell her, Jared. Tell her that was my intent.Jared: It was, my lady, on my honor.

Walder: Is it my fault that your fool brother lost his battle before we could march? I am told the Kingslayer went through him like an axe through ripe cheese. Why should my boys hurry south to die? All those who did go south are running north again.[5]

Catelyn: If you were strong enough to climb your own battlements, Lord Frey, you would see that my son has twenty thousand men outside your walls.Walder: They'll be twenty thousand fresh corpses when Lord Tywin gets here, don't you try and frighten me, my lady. Your husband's in some traitor's cell under the Red Keep, your father's sick, might be dying, and Jaime Lannister's got your brother in chains. What do you have that I should fear? That son of yours? I'll match you son for son, and I'll still have eighteen when yours are all dead.[5]

Walder: You will forgive me if I do not kneel, I know. My legs no longer work as they did, though that which hangs between 'em serves well enough, heh. Some would say it's a poor king who crowns himself with bronze, Your Grace.

Robb Stark: Bronze and iron are stronger than gold and silver. The old Kings of Winter wore such a sword-crown.Walder: Small good it did them when the dragons came. Heh.

Tyrion: Walder Frey is a peevish old man who lives to fondle his young wife and brood over all the slights he's suffered. I have no doubt he hatched this ugly chicken, but he would never have dared such a thing without a promise of protection.[13]

Family

Descendants

Walder has outlived seven wives, and is currently married to his eighth wife. He has over a hundred descendants, both trueborn and baseborn. He has had twenty-two trueborn sons and seven trueborn daughters from his marriages, with an unknown number of bastard sons and daughters.